


Friends in High Places

by bamfbugboy



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cheering Up, Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Reminiscing, bad romance novels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 08:04:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9539015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bamfbugboy/pseuds/bamfbugboy
Summary: Inquisitor Trevelyan stumbles upon the newest visitor to Skyhold: her latest ally, Hawke. They bond over books, and Hawke offers some advice to the burdened leader.





	

Isolde’s suprised but relieved to find Skyhold’s garden empty. With her copy of _Hard in Hightown_ , she moves to sit at one of the empty benches to read. Instead, as she steps into the garden more, she sees one occupant who no doubt needs as much peace as her.

_Hawke._

People didn’t seem to call her by her first name. Isolde can empathize, but she realizes she doesn’t even remember Hawke’s. She blushes in embarrassment. She scratches her neck and isn’t sure if she should say hello or leave the other woman be. Everyone heals differently.

Instead, she realizes, Hawke’s crying and hasn’t noticed her staring. She blinks, stunned momentarily, and then she steps onto the grass. This catches Hawke’s eyes. The older woman sighs and shakes her head sadly.

“Sorry. I’m a bit of a mess right now and don’t feel like sorting it out at the tavern.”

Isolde nods and comes to sit by Hawke. She reaches into her pocket and offers her handkerchief, which the other woman takes.

“ _Hard in Hightown_ , huh?”

“What?”

“The book in your lap.” Hawke wipes her eyes and then lowers her hand. “That god awful book.”

Isolde laughs and smiles sheepishly. “It’s not _that_ bad.”

“It’s pure smut and he knows it.” Hawke shakes her head and smirks. “I guess everybody needs a hobby in this world, even perverse ones.”

“You’ve read his books?”

“I’ve known Varric for awhile. I didn’t need to read them, he’s read them aloud to me so many times. We’ve had drinking contests to his books.” She pauses and shrugs. “Haven’t read The Tale of the Champion yet, don’t tell him that, please.”

“I sure hope he doesn’t write a book about me.”

“Knowing Varric he’s got an entire series lined up for you, lined up with facts you didn’t even know about yourself. I don’t know if he’ll write smut of the Herald of Andraste though, less he’s looking for some divine reckoning. Though I imagine it would sell well.”

Isolde laughs and shakes her head. “If he wrote a book about me I’d have Cassandra personally interrogate him again.”

Hawke smiles. She curls a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I never read the book because it’s hard. Reading about the people you love, reading it as you’re an outside observer, it’s like a novel. It’s hard to not want everyone to come out alright in the end. It would be like reading my memories. I’d hear their voices fresh in my mind like it was yesterday. The way my brother laughed. The sigh in my mother’s voice. I can’t do it. Maybe someday.”

Isolde fidgets and shrugs. “You don’t have to ever read it, you know.”

“I know. I don’t want to read a larger than life story about myself and realize I’ve got to meet my other self’s expectations.”

Isolde frowns. _Had Hawke even had a say?_

“I guess in the end I don’t really care either way. It’s me but it’s not really me in the end. I’m flattered Varric likes me enough to write a book about me over that Bianca of his, but the real story is always less exciting. But I guess there’s some merit in that.”

Hawke’s opened the door to sharing about herself since Adamant, and Isolde can’t help her curiosity.

“What happened to Anders? Are you two still–”

“We ran for a long time. We were sparking fires in the mage circles. Getting people to rebel. We had started the war and we couldn’t stop it even when Anders realized what he’d done in the name of Justice. At the same time, we–I–couldn’t sit back any longer. Suddenly everyone’s an apostate. But as you’ve learned, that’s not necessarily a bad thing anymore. That word has lost it’s venom. People look at you, the Herald of Andraste, and see a leader. They see you’ve banded templars and mages under one roof and they’re not scared anymore. I guess what Anders did opened the door for that discussion that otherwise wasn’t happening out in the open.”

Isolde nods. Even if she has mixed feelings about the titles weighing on her shoulders, she knows what she’s done for Thedas’ mages. She’s made a statement, whether she wanted to or not.

“If you’re looking for a little bit of romance with your drama, well, Isabela married us when we first left Kirkwall.”

Hawke turns her head towards Isolde and smiles. “I know it’s hard carrying those titles and all the expectations around you. If you want to ask me, I think you’ve handled yourself very bravely. Not many people can take on a power that’s in your hand and control it like you have. Not many people can look at someone who’s committed grave crimes and show mercy. Not many people can boast they’ve conquered their fears the way you have.” She scratches her neck and shrugs. “I guess I just want to say I think you’re doing a good job. I thought you should know that before I took off.”

Hawke places her hand on Isolde’s shoulder and grips it under her palm. “Take care out there, alright?”

Isolde nods and Hawke leaves without another word. It’s only after she’s left that Isolde realizes she didn’t ask for her name.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
